Manors Railway Station, Newcastle

[PinzaC55]

Just thought I'd mention that Lot 608 in Cundall's Malton Railwayana Auction next Saturday April 2nd is "A Manors North and East track plan and Quayside".

[Jonathan1973]

Alan Young ('Suburban Railways of Tyneside'), is writing a new book about the 'Lost Stations of the North-East'. He is including a pretty detailed account of Manors, which may answer some of the questions on this forum. Looking at some old pictures of Manors North (pre-Central Motorway East), it looks as though there may have been a door into the subway (between Platforms 1 and 2), from Trafalgar Street. I explored the subways in about 1989, and at did look as though this was the case. The subway was obviously shortened when the motorway was built. I can't understand the purpose of this entrance (to the left of the chap in the dark suit), but if you look at the maps, it fits in.

[PinzaC55]

It's hard to see how it could have been a passenger entrance to the subway without facilities for checking tickets? It would make sense if it was a means of bringing heavy goods trollies or supplies in via the subway without using the main entrance or it could have been an "overspill" entrance as used at some stations which regularly hosted football trains and needed to get the hordes out of the station quickly?

[Jonathan1973]

I have three more pictures of Manors; one of which illustrates the station just before the Central Motorway East was built, one which shows the functioning station during the 1970's, and the other which shows the present site of the (re-modelled), entrance to the subway. If any budding industrial archaeologists want to find it, the sealed doorway is underneath the elevated footpath from Swan House/multi-storey car park.

[PinzaC55]

I'm selling some of my photo collection on a certain internet auction site and one of them will be an early view of platform 9.

[pasco]

great photos Jonathan! Excited about Alan Young's new book too. Any more details on when it will be available etc?

[lar1976]

On a further note, from the Subbrit site http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/m/manors/manors7.jpg I take it the windows on the second floor were part of the station or the ground floor buildings?

[PinzaC55]

They were storerooms in the early 80's. I went in one in 1980 and it was full of large clocks and various junk.There was a door to the next room but it was so dark I didn't go in there.

[Jonathan1973]

Thank you Pasco. I'm not sure when Alan's book is due to be published, but I think it is nearing completion. Regarding the Melbourne Street entrance to Manors East, until about 1986 its appearance was as the first picture below (Fawcett). The second (top) floor was at platform level, and provided a screen to the Platform 9 staircase and (I think), some rooms. When the top floor was demolished, the facade took its present form. I don't know if the windows on the first floor illuminated rooms, or if they were added to improve the look of the building. I don't think the space formed part of the station - if used, it was probably part of the shops on the ground floor. I had a look at the other side of the Croft Lane subway on Sunday, from the Manors Multi-Storey car park. It is now very overgrown, but you can see the lighter stone used to block the entrance and an old streetlight marooned in the undergrowth.

[Jonathan1973]

I spoke to Alan Young (via email), this evening and he gave me the following information about his book;
It will be entitled, 'Lost stations of Northumberland & Durham' and Silver Link hope to publish in summer 2011. Manors will form one of the longer chapters, which Alan thinks will be about 6 pages. He also gave me permission to put some of his photographs on this forum - here goes (the first three are all Alan's). I'll add a modern shot to compare with Manors North in 1977.

[pasco]

I will look forward to Alan's book immensely.
Guys, these photos are amazing - where do you keep getting them from? I wish I had had foresight when younger to go out and about with a camera.
I especially like comparison shots.... great to be able to have a then and now type view.

So I take it there was an entrance somewhere else then, from what Jonathan says? Where is/was Croft Lane?

[Jonathan1973]

I think that Croft Lane pre-existed Manors Station, and was incorporated into the subway under (what became) Platforms 7, 8 and 9 during the 1880's rebuilding of the station. It is shown on Fawcett's plan of the station and on the OS map that marks the car park. I have put a red arrow on the OS map to show the view in my image of the overgrown blocked entrance. I have also posted another of Alan's pictures of the Melbourne Street entrance. The Croft Lane subway (down which Michael Caine walked or stalked), lay up the stairs to the left, while the long staircase to Platform 9 lay through the dark door way to the right.

[lar1976]

Thank you for the informative map and photographs, I take it that the locations shown for the old subway/underpass are near to whatever the Joicey Museum is now? Also I take it that the shot from 1985 looking towards Manors from the Byker side shows what would be the defunct steps to the subway? I can make out the signal box and also the ticket collectors booth and also the steps leading to the over bridge which were there when I first visited Manors site after the buildings had gone.

[Jonathan1973]

You are correct on both counts. The former Joicey Museum/Holy Jesus Hospital is just off to the left on the map with the car park. The 1985 shot (looking West), shows Platforms 7 & 8 in the centre, with Platform 9 to the left. By this point the original footbridge had been shortened, and no longer reached Platform 9 which was presumably totally disused by this point. You can just make out the ticket cabin on Platforms 7 & 8, along with the steps down to the Croft Lane subway. I would suggest that this feature was probably also disused by the early 1980's. The 1986 picture of the Melbourne Street entrance shows the entrance arch blocked with what looks like a wooden fence. I guess that the entire subway system under Manors East was closed fairly soon after the Metro began in August 1980 (if not immediately before). The subways at Manors North became redundant in 1978, when the BR trains via Jesmond ceased.

Pinza - were the dark storerooms to which you refer in the range of buildings on Platform 9, or Platforms 7 & 8? I don't understand the layout of the Melbourne Street building, and any help would be most appreciated! The black and white picture is from Newcastle City Libraries, and the rather poignant image is another of Alan's.

[lar1976]

Having been curious I did want to take a look around the main entrance where the pay and display car park was. The door was left open but I never did get there until it was demolised and all that was visible were the platforms and the subways linking the platforms, I did consider asking if I could get the old name sign with BR insignia which stood for quite a while on platform 2/3. Am sure that went to a good home eventually!